


When I wake

by Taeyn



Series: cassian said I had to [6]
Category: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Genre: Affection, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Caretaking, Developing Relationship- Rebelcaptain, Fluff, Friendship/Love, Gen, Hugging, Hurt/Comfort, Sharing a Bed, Sick Character, Sickfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-22
Updated: 2017-02-22
Packaged: 2018-09-26 08:58:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,601
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9878312
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Taeyn/pseuds/Taeyn
Summary: Cassian is sick. Jyn, Bodhi and Kay-Tu are there.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ThreeDaysofRain](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThreeDaysofRain/gifts).



On missions, sharing a bedroll meant halving the carry. On Hoth the rooms were too still. Jyn said she didn’t like the cold. For Cassian it was the quiet.

“To blast what anyone else thinks,” Jyn offered one night, when Cassian tactfully mentioned it was a small base. “If the alliance was fuelled by rumour, you’d be winning.”

Cassian laughed, turned away to cough. He’d been fighting sick for days, and with the last assignment finally wrapped up, it seemed to have finally got the better of him.

“That’s a very Imperial expression,” he said huskily, twitched a smile. “That and _false news travels faster than light._ You’d fit right in.”

“I like that one,” Jyn mused, rubbed a palm absentmindedly over Cassian’s chest. He was shivering. “Reminds me of _if you want the wrong idea, send it by X-Wing_ ”

_“Myth costs less galactic credits than victory._ ”

“ _Lying rebels are like sand,_ ” Jyn returned, grinning. “ _Rough, irritating and they get everywhere._ ”

Cassian frowned, trying to place it. “Nope, haven’t heard that one.”

He sniffled, squinted, then sneezed harshly into his shoulder, sweat-soaked hair flinging into his eyes. He sank exhausted into the mattress, laughed again when Jyn deposited her scarf unceremoniously over his face.

“Sorry,” he said, voice muffled by the material. “You have express permission to kick me out any time now.”

Jyn bumped her knee into his. “And miss seeing you this miserable? Well now you’re really spoiling my night.”

“Oh, this?” Cassian cleared his throat, made some indistinct gesture that could’ve meant anything. “Try Fest in winter. You forget what the sun even looks like. This…” he paused to subdue another fit of coughing. “This- this is like a holiday,” he finished weakly.

Jyn’s mouth pulled at the corners, she let herself smile when his eyelids drooped closed.

“I’ll remember to never let you plan my holidays.” She shuffled closer, gently pulled his arm around her torso.

“I might be too warm as a blanket,” Cassian said hoarsely, tucked his face into her shoulder all the same.

“You’re always too warm,” Jyn admitted. She didn’t say she found it strangely comforting.

“Only because your hands take after a carbon-freeze,” he mumbled, wiped his nose on his wrist. Jyn listened to the rasp of his inhale. Slowly, she turned to face him.

“Here,” she murmured, grazed her fingertips to his brow. His skin was damp, viciously hot. He made a low sound when she touched him, leant into her palm.

“ _Worse_ than a carbon-freeze,” he said blurrily, the clench of his jaw softening. “Much much worse.”

He stirred, eyes moving behind the lids. Eventually his breathing deepened, settled to an easier pace. Jyn kept whichever hand was coldest at his forehead. She stayed like that a long time.

-

“Cassian. I have a terrible confession to make.”

The rebel dragged himself upright, blinked until Bodhi came into focus. He felt like he’d taken several beatings, and from Bodhi’s hesitant smile, guessed he didn’t look much better.

“You used to work for the Empire,” Cassian said croakily, managed half a grin.

“Worse.” Bodhi breathed out a laugh, visibly relieved. “I… can’t cook.”

Cassian flinched up an eyebrow, took a few seconds to realise there was a canteen of soup at his bedside. “This looks amazing though,” he said quietly, stunned that such a gesture had been made for him at all.

“That is because I stole it,” Bodhi said solemnly. “From General Draven’s quarters.”

Cassian stared. Bodhi punctuated the sentence with a single grave nod. Cassian swallowed, spluttered, then nearly choked on a laugh, ducking into his sleeve while Bodhi patted him on the back.

“Thank you,” Cassian said between coughs.

“You haven’t even tried it yet,” Bodhi answered shyly, tried not to look pleased. “Draven might be an even _more_ awful cook.”

Cassian shot him a crooked smile, jerked a nod to the two mugs in his field kit. “I can barely breathe, let alone taste,” he said apologetically. “You’ll have to tell me.”

Bodhi poured out the broth, sat cross-legged on the bed while Cassian stared into his cup. His head felt sore and heavy, but the rising steam helped somewhat, the heat of the liquid gradually soothing his throat.

Bodhi, meanwhile, kept up a cheerful stream of anecdotes, most of which had Cassian laughing every time he took a sip. By the time Bodhi got to the cargo crate that turned out to be _alive_ , Cassian’s head had fallen against his shoulder, one hand clutched loosely in Jyn’s scarf.

Bodhi eased himself from the mattress, took the empty mug from Cassian’s lap.

“Not sleeping,” Cassian mumbled, flinched in distress. “Wide awake. Listening.”

“Not going anywhere,” Bodhi whispered, moved to his side. Cassian exhaled, a trace of a smile. “You’ve still got to hear the one where the cargo was _invisible_.”

-

The sun was setting when K-2SO found Cassian at the outpost. His face was pale, flushed dark below his eyes. His shirt was drenched with sweat.

“I’m good,” Cassian wheezed, hands trembling as he braced himself on a tree. “Just getting some fresh air.”

There was a silence, followed by Kay’s distinctly dry modulation.

“And how is that working out for you?”

Cassian tried not to laugh, winced when he did.

“I’m still standing?” he suggested. To his amusement, the droid’s processors made a low whirr, the sound almost incredulous.

“You know, the last time you said that,” K-2 offered a hand as Cassian swayed, “I believe there were several hundred blasters pointed at us.”

Cassian gave a weak grin, leant into Kay’s grip. A moment later his face fell, and he coughed with urgency.

“ _Kaytu-_ ”

He didn’t have time to finish before he was sick, Kay jerking back in surprise.

“Ohh I love organics,” the droid intoned. There weren’t many things that could’ve made Cassian feel better at that point, but his friend’s taciturn manner was definitely one of them.

“Sorry,” Cassian agreed, pulled away to be ill a second time. “And... again.”

Kay leaned down, wrapped an arm gently around Cassian’s front.

“Are you alright?” he said after a moment, carefully pushed Cassian’s hair from his face. “Your behaviour is progressively more concerning.”

Cassian nodded, took a shaky breath. He was grateful for Kay’s hand at his shoulder as they made their way back to base.

“I got us out of the several-hundred-blasters thing, didn’t I,” said Cassian, as lightly as his ruined voice would allow. “Nothing to worry about. Promise.”

Kay-Tu peered at him, unreadable. When they reached the rebel’s quarters, Cassian paused.

“Feel like a game of dejarik?” he ventured, more hopeful than offhand. “I could really use the company.”

“You don’t want me to fetch Bodhi or Jyn?” said Kay, quieter than usual. Cassian glanced up at him, surprised. The droid didn’t meet his gaze.

“Hey. No.” Cassian said, and he meant it. It hadn’t been that long ago that there _was_ no Bodhi or Jyn. And Kay wouldn’t have had to ask.

He punched the door code, kicked it ajar with his boot.

“Besides,” Cassian added, grinned when Kay-Tu gave a small nod. “The odds of you letting me win almost double when I’m ill.”

-

Cassian opened his eyes to a dim room, a collection of hushed voices, and something that felt very much like a solid plate of metal wedged into his neck. He groaned, turned over, looked up.

“I told you not to fall asleep on me,” K-2 said witheringly, his frame positioned at an odd angle after Cassian had decided his chest was a pillow.

“Before or after I was already asleep?” Cassian yawned. Overhearing, Jyn and Bodhi gave identical grins, set down their game of cards and leaned in for a hug.

“Stop that-” Cassian held up his arms clumsily when the two warm bodies cuddled into his side. “-I’ll make you sick.”

“I’ve had worse,” Bodhi shrugged.

“I don’t get sick,” Jyn said at the same time, as if it were an accusation.

“Uh-huh.” Cassian blinked, resisted the urge to lift an eyebrow. “I don’t get sick either. Believe me, not getting sick is not all it's cracked up to be.”

“We’re losing him to delirium,” Kay-Tu said flatly, Jyn laughed as Cassian cuffed the droid’s arm.

“We brought you tea, if you’re interested,” said Bodhi, helped Cassian sit upright when he started coughing. “Medi-droid’s orders. Sleep and plenty of liquids.”

“Definitely have the sleep bit covered,” Cassian admitted, accepted the flask. He twitched a smile as he blew into the steam. “Is this a gift from Draven’s quarters too?”

Jyn snorted, Bodhi swallowed a guilty grin.

“I don’t get it,” said Kay, and Cassian pulled him into the huddle.

-

The last time Cassian woke, it was quiet. Bodhi’s limbs were sprawled in every direction. K-2SO had dimmed his eyes, turned protectively toward them before entering resting mode. And Jyn…

Jyn was curled on top of the blanket, her head heavy on Cassian’s outstretched arm. Her hair had fallen across her face, all loose waves and messy fringe. For no reason he could understand, Cassian wanted to reach for her, brush his thumb to her cheek. He stayed still, realised he was holding his breath.

“Hey,” Jyn said softly, eyes dark green in the shadow. She slipped her hand, wove her fingers between Cassian’s. Gently, she pulled his wrist to her chest, clasped knuckles tucked below her jaw. She squeezed, grazed her thumb over his.

“You okay?”

Cassian swallowed, tried to untangle his thoughts into words. The best he could manage was a nod.

“Yeah,” he said, barely a whisper. Squeezed her hand back. “I think so.”

-

**Author's Note:**

> tysm for reading! c: comments and kudos are always adored and appreciated :'>


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